Sonia Gandhi launches poll campaign, attacks Modi regime, LDF

THRISSUR: Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Monday launched her election campaign in Kerala with an attack on the Modi government for trying to decimate the secular and democratic foundations of the country and for neglecting the interests of the poor and weaker sections of the society.<o:p></o:p><br /><br /> Speaking at a mammoth campaign meeting at Thrissur in central Kerala, the Congress President also criticized the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) for indulging in politics of violence and for stalling developmental projects.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />She criticized the Modi regime for being ‘controlled by the BJP-RSS combo’ and destabilizing the democratically elected governments in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh.<o:p></o:p><br /><br /> The NDA government also came under attack for reducing the budgetary allocations for vital welfare projects like MGNREGA launched by the previous UPA government. Sonia alleged that drought-hit farmers were not being allocated enough funds to support them in this acute crisis situation of price crash.<o:p></o:p><br /><br /> Modi government had wound up the Ministry of Overseas Indians set up by the UPA regime, and this has led to closure of grievance redressal and welfare mechanisms for millions of Indians working abroad, Sonia Gandhi said.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />She said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi found enormous time for international visits and discussions, but not for the farmers and the poor sections of the country.<o:p></o:p><br /><br /> SONIA Gandhi said the Modi government was all words and no action on the helicopter scam. Hailing the liquor policy of the Chandy government in Kerala, the Congress supremo said her party wanted the state to be free from the menacing influence of liquor in the next ten years in phases. This would be a great relief to the society as a whole and particularly to women and children who bear the brunt of this malpractice, Sonia said.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />The Congress president alleged that the LDF was totally confused on the liquor policy and it kept contradicting itself on each turn.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />LDF also came under fire for blocking all developmental projects, which, Sonia said, is forcing the youngsters to continuously hunt for jobs outside the state. She said United Democratic Front government had launched a series of projects like the Kannur airport, Kochi metro and highway development so that the youth was not forced to migrate. <o:p></o:p><br /><br /> A vote for UDF would be for the growth of the state and for maintaining the peaceful and harmonious structure of the society, she added. <o:p></o:p><br /><br />Sonia began her speech by offering condolences to the families of those who had lost their lives in the recent fireworks accident at Kollam and Jisha’s mother. Jisha was a law student who was brutally raped and killed at Perumbavoor. She demanded that those responsible for her murder must be brought before the law immediately and speedy justice must be delivered.<br />